A Milford man was arrested for illegally selling mounted antlered deer and other animals April 4.

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By Staff Reports

Milford Beacon

By Staff Reports

Posted Apr. 13, 2013 at 3:54 PM
Updated Apr 13, 2013 at 3:57 PM

By Staff Reports

Posted Apr. 13, 2013 at 3:54 PM
Updated Apr 13, 2013 at 3:57 PM

Milford, Del.

A Milford man was arrested for illegally selling mounted antlered deer and other animals April 4.

An investigation that began in January culminated in DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement agents citing John J. Ament Jr., 57, of Milford, for illegally offering mounted deer heads, turkeys and a bear for sale online.

Ament was charged with two counts of offering for sale antlered deer, one count of commercialization of wildlife and one count CITES international wildlife trafficking violation for offering for sale a mounted bear, a violation under an international wildlife treaty to which Delaware adheres.

CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international agreement to which more than 170 countries worldwide adhere voluntarily, with the aim of ensuring that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival

The mounted wildlife items were seized as evidence, wildlife enforcement officials said. Ament, who has the option to pay the citation or opt for a trial, could face more than $2,600 in fines and court costs for the alleged violations.

Under the Delaware Code, it is unlawful for any person to collect, possess, import, export, buy, sell or offer for sale any native wildlife species or any part thereof without a permit from the director of the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, or, alternately, written documentation to confirm that said wildlife was legally taken and transported from another state, officials said.

In a second, unrelated case, following an investigation into illegal taxidermy, Thomas G. Baker, 57, of Felton, was arrested on March 27 and charged with eight counts of illegal possession of untagged migratory waterfowl, one count of working without a federal migratory bird taxidermy permit, and one count of illegal possession of a wild bird for mounting purposes. Baker was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 3 in Georgetown with a court date pending.

"In Delaware, in order to provide services, a taxidermist must have a valid business license, and also must adhere to state and federal wildlife laws and regulations as applicable, including observing permit, tag and species restrictions," said Sgt. Gregory Rhodes of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement.